Dispensing pump



0ct. 23, 1945. K s 'CLAPP DIsPENsING PUMP Filed Jan. 28, 1943 G im@ 2 S rfi,

INVENTOR. fA//Vfrf/ 5 CMPP ril/IL #Mlm Panarea oci. 231, i945 UNITED TES 'PAT f r ortica 9 Claims.

This invention relates in general to a fluid pump 1 and more particularly to an improved pump for dispensing viscous and semi-plastic materials. One particular application for my invention is dispensing greases for lubricating equipment and machinery.

Pumps which are available for dispensing such viscous materials rely on the suction created by a movable piston within a cylinder to suck the material into the pump cylinder. These materials, being semi-fluid, often contain air and when a suction or vacuum is used to draw the material into the pump, only air or air and material enters the cylinder. Hence, such pumps are most inelcient and require an operators continuous attention to keep them functioning.

My invention utilizes the combination of vacuum loading the cylinder with a new and novel method of ram or forced loading of the pump cylinder.

Most pumps designed and used for the service of dispensing viscous materials have movable pistons which reciprocate within a cylinder. My invention reverses this old and common practice by having a stationary piston with a movable and reciprocating cylinder, which produces new and efficient results, as will be explained herein.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a pump which will positively feed grease and other viscous materials without interruption due to air pockets.

Another object4 is to provide a pump for dispensing viscous materials of different viscosities.

Another object is to provide a pump of simple construction so that the working parts are easily renewable or replaceable by laymen in the trade.l

Another object is to provide a pump, the piston and cylinder of which do not have to vbe packed against the discharge pressure of the material being dispensed.

Another object is to provide a pump which can be subjected to very high discharge pressures without damaging the pump mechanism.

Other objects of my invention and the invention itself will become more apparent from the following description of the various parts and their operation.`

Figure l illustrates the complete pumpunit mounted on a conventional steel drum commonly used for storage and transportation of such viscous materials;

Figure 2 is a plan view of my pumping unit as shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary and enlarged view of the lower end of the pump mechanism with the reciprocating cylinder shown in a position representing the beginning of its downward stroke with the valves positioned as if material were entering the pump chamber;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but shows the reciprocating cylinder in a position representing the beginning of its upward stroke with the valves positioned as if material were being dispensed;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a.

manual relief valve to be used under certain emergency conditions to bleed air from the discharge material:

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line 6-8 of Figure'2; and

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing a modified form of my pump assembly.

The material drum is represented by the reference character I0 while the material to be dispensed is shown as il.

The unit as shown in Figure 1 has a piston and cylinder fluid motor for actuating. the. material dispensing unit comprising a reciprocating cylinder 22 and a stationary piston 23. The iluid motor comprises an air cylinder I2 enclosed by a top head I3 and a bottom head It. Within the confines of cylinder I2, top head I3 and bottom head It, is a motor piston I5, the outer diameter of which is-sealed by a packing IB, the feather edges of which are located in a position toward the top head I3 and the bottom head It. Packing seals Il compressed by a spring are used to seal the air around the stationary piston 23. Valve mechanism 24 controls the inward iiow and disgharge of the motor fluid, compressed air being generally used for this purpose.

The reciprocating cylinder 22 is rigidly attached to the motor piston I5 and is sealed at the bottom head It by spring compressed packing seals 25. The free or bottom end of the reciprocating cylinder 22 terminates in a bell-shaped housing 26. This housing 26 contains a screen 2l for straining any foreign matter which might enter the material in the drum. A series of vents 28 are located at the upper portion of the bell- 'shaped housing 26 in order that air may return tainer 32.

The material dispensing piston 23 is stationary and held rigid by being connected to the top head I3 of the motor cylinder. The piston 23 vin the discharge hose.

has a hollow bore 23 for discharging the material through the pump to the conduit or hose 24.

The bottom end of the stationary piston 23 is equipped with a valve retainer plug l1 so as tov iliary valve to 28 and which is often required to 'l assist in retaining the high back pressures created A manual ball release valve 40 is used to bleed air through a vent 4| from the discharged material, should the pump become airbound after the material il is exhausted in the drum Il.

A drum cover 4l is securely attached to the fluid power motor and is also detachably secured to the top of the drum Il by cleats 4l, one of which is shown as being slidably adjustable in. a slot so as to accommodate various diameters of drums. see Figures 2 and 6. A winged thumb screw 41 may be provided to clamp the slidable cleat in l the slot. A yspring 4l is provided to draw the cleats tightly against thedrum. The cleats 4l hold the entire pump unit steady when the re ciprocating cylinder 22 forges into the viscous material il-in the drum IB. The actual operation of the entire pump unit can now be explained in a simple manner after a review of the component parts described above.

When a new drum dispensing. the cover on the top o! the drum is removed and the pump unit which dispenses the material is inserted through the drum opening of material is ready for" and the cleats 4l are quickly secured to the top oi' the drum. A source of iluid or; compressed air is connected to the orlilce 4I and the valve mechanism 24 directs this compressed air to the top of the motor piston Il; forcing this piston downward. The reciprocating cylinder; 22 being rigidly connected to the movable motor piston Il plunges downwardly into the viscous material and the bell-shaped housing 26 directs the material through the plate valve I into the chamber il. At the same time a vacuum is created in the chamber 50 which assists in drawing the material into said chamber. e

The combined action oi the vacuum and the packing of the material within the bell-shaped housing 26 functions simultaneously to prevent my dispensing pump from becoming airbound which often occurs when a vacuum only is relied upon. The downward movement of the bell'- shaped housing 26 into the material packs the material therein and expels the air which is contained in the material out through the vent opening 2B, with the result that thematerial which enters the chamber 50 is free of air pockets. The

packing of the grease within the housing, thev plunging action -perforins another function, in that the material which is in the vicinity of the lower end of the reciprocating cylinder 22 is worked so that all oi' the air has been churned substantially out of the material before it enters the bell-shaped housing. l

When the motor piston i reaches the bottom head i4, the valve mechanism 24 releases the compressed air above the piston i5 to atmosphere and simultaneously allows the compressed air to enter through a conduit 5I to the bottom of the motor piston I5 which forces the reciprocating cylinder 22 to move upwardly. The instant that the reciprocating cylinder 23 moves upwardly, the plate valve closes and forces the material confined inthe chamber through the ball piston valve 2l, into the hollow bore 23 of thestationary piston 22 and out through the ball valve 38 into the discharge conduit or hose 34. Vents 52 in the side wall 'of the reciprocating cylinder 22 permit any material which might seep past the stationary piston 22 to return to the drum instead oi' being forced up the outside diameter oi the piston 23 s and into the motor cylinder.

During the upward stroke of the reciprocating@` cylinder 22 a vacuum is created in the material,

previously occupied by the bottom o! the recipro' eating cylinder so that the channel formed in the material by the upward movement of the reciprocating cylinder closes in and permits a solid column of churned material to be forced into the bottom of the bell-shaped housing 28 onthe next succeeding downward stroke.

In Figure 7 I show a modiiication of my invention, in that the reciprocating cylinder 23 is provided with a ball discharge valve 58 to which a flexible hose 5l is attached for dispensing material directly from the pump chamber `lill. A solid stationary piston is employed instead of the stationary hollow piston 23 shown in the other views oi' the drawing. Instead ofv showing a bellshaped housing 26 I employ in this modification a straight bore-receiving chamber 6I which may bedesirable withcertain types of dispensing materials. The exible hose may be carried to the outside of the drum through the space between the cleats 4I. y

Having described my invention, it is not my intention to limit the scope because a modincation or different association of the various parts could be' employed. Any such changes from the` Vmotor having a stationary part and a movable part positioned above said container, a pump pis-` ton secured to .the stationary part of the fluid motor and extending downwardly into the co n tainer, a movable pump cylinder connected to i the movable part of the iiuid motor and extendmaterial which is pumped is accordingly free lng downwardly into the container, said pump cylinder surrounding said pump piston and having its free end "extending therebeyond to form a pressure chamber; said free end of the pump cylinderhaving an intake opening and being 4movably plungeable into said viscous material.

whereby the plunging of the free end of the pump cylinder into the viscous vmaterial works air pockets out of the viscous material and forcibly lpacks the viscous material substantially free ot air pockets into the intake opening oi.' the pump cylinder to aid in feeding the pump cylinder, and conduit "means for discharging viscous material from the pressure chamber to the outside of the container.

2. A pump for dispensing viscous material from a container, saidl viscous material containing air pockets and said pump comprising a uid motor having a stationary part and a movable part positioned above said container, a pump piston secured to the stationary part of asesinas the iiuid motor and extending downwardly into the container, a movable pump cylinder connected to the movable part of the iluid motor and extending downwardly into the container, said the pump cylinder into the viscous material worksA air pockets out of the viscous material and forcibly packs the viscous material substantially free of air pockets into the intake opening of the pump cylinder to aid in feeding the pump bgiylinder, and conduit means for discharging viscous material from the pressure chamber to the butside ofthe container, said free end oi the pump cylinder having a strainer.

5. A pump for pumping viscous material from a container, said viscous material containing air pockets, said pump comprising a stationary element and a movable element bearing the relationship to each other of piston and cylinder and denning a pump chamber, means for mounting the stationary element and the movable element with reference to the container, whereby the A movable element projects in said viscous material in the container, discharge means for said pump chamber, means for reciprocating the movable element tooalternately provide'an intake stroke and a discharge stroke, said movable element projecting from the reciprocating means and having an intake opening at its' projected end, said projected end movably plunging upon the intake stroke into the viscous material. whereby the plunging oi the projected end o1 the movable element into the viscous material works air pockets out of the viscous material and forcibly packs the viscous material substantially free of air'pockets into lthe intake opening of the 3. A pump for dispensing viscous material from a container, said viscous material containing air pockets and said pump comprising a iluid motor having a stationary part and a movable part positioned above said container, a pump piston secured to the stationary part of the uid motor and extending downwardly into the container, a movable pump cylinder connected to the movable part of the fluidmotor and extending downwardly into the container, said pump cylinder surrounding said pump piston and hav- :ing its free end extending therebeyond to form a pressure chamber, said free end of the pump cylinder having an intake opening and being movably plungeable into said viscous material.,

whereby the plunging of the free end of the pump cylinder into the viscous material works air pockets out of the viscous material and forcibly packs the viscous material substantially free of air pockets into the intake opening of the pump -cylinder to aid in feeding -the pump cylinder, and conduit means fordischarging viscous marial from the' pressure chamber to the outside f the container, said free end of the pump'cylnder having an inlet valve at the entrance of the pressure chamber, said free end having air vent means in advance of the valve.

4. A pump 'for dispensing viscous material from a container, said viscous material containing air pockets and said pump comprising a iiuid motor having a-stationary part and a movable part positioned above said container, a. pump piston secured to the stationary part of the fluid motor and extending downwardly into the container, a movable pump cylinder connected to the movable part of the iluid motor and extending downwardly into the container, said pump cylinder surrounding said pump piston and Ahaving its free end extending therebeyond to form a pressure chamber, said free end of the pump cylinder having an intake opening and being movably plungeable into said viscous material,

whereby the plunging of the free end of the pump cylinder into the viscous material works air pockets out of the viscous material and forcibly packs the viscous material substantially free of air pockets into the intake opening of the pump cylinder-to aid in feeding the pump cylinder, and conduit means for discharging viscous material from the pressure chamber to the outside of the container, said pump piston being solid and said pump cylinder having intake and discharge valves.

movable element to aid in feeding the pump chamber said pump chamber having a cylinder wall and a cylinder head, a piston positioned within said cylinder wall, a. valve positioned respectively in saidcylinder head and in said piston, said piston having a sidewall contacting the cylinder wall, said piston and cylinder walls surrounding the valve which is` positioned in said piston. v,

,6. A pump for pumping viscous material from a container, `said viscous material containing air pockets, said pump comprising a stationary element and a movable element bearing the relationship to each otherot piston and cylinder and defining a pump chamber, means for mounting the stationary element and the movable element with `reference ,tov the container, whereby the movable element projects in said viscous material in the container, discharge means for said pump chamber, means mounted externally of the viscous material for reciprocating the movableelement to alternately provide an intake stroke and a discharge stroke, said movable element projecting from the reciprocating means and having an intake opening at its projected end, said projected end movably plunging upon the movable element into the viscous material works air pockets out oi the viscous material and forcibly packs the viscous material substantially free of air pockets into the intake opening of thev movable element to aid in feeding the lpump chamber, said pump chamber having a cylinder wall and a cylinder head, a piston positioned within said cylinder wall, a valve positioned yrespectively in said cylinder head and in said piston, said piston having a side wall contacting the cylinder wall, said piston and cylinder walls surrounding the valve which is positioned in said piston.

'1. a pump for pumping viscous material from l Y combination with the pump chamber establishsaid movable cylinder `projecting from the reciprocating means and having an intake opening at its projected end, said projected end movably plunging upon the intake stroke into the viscous xaterial, whereby the plunging of the projected end of the movable cylinder into the viscous material works air pockets out of the viscous material and forcibly packs the viscous material substantially free of air pockets into the intake opening of the movable cylinder to aid in feeding the pump chamber, said pump chamber havingv a,

cylinder wall and a cylinder head, a piston positioned within said cylinder wall, a valve positioned respectively in said cylinder head and in said piston, said piston having a side wall contacting the cylinder wall, said piston and cylinder walls surrounding the valve which is positioned in said piston.

8. A pump for pumping viscous material from a container, said viscous material containing air pockets, said pump comprising a stationary element and a movable element bearing the relationship to each other of piston and cylinder and defining a pump chamber, means for mounting the stationary element and the movable element with reference to the container, whereby the movable element projects in said viscous material in the container, discharge means for said pump chamber, means for reciprocating the 'movable element to alternately provide an intake stroke and a discharge stroke, said movableelement projecting from the reciprocating means and having an intake opening at its projected end, said projected end movably plunging upon the intake stroke into the viscous material, valve mechanism in combination with the pump chamber establishing upon the intake stroke a vacuum in the chamber for drawing viscous material thereinto, the movably plunging of the projected vend upon'th intake stroknto the ing upon the discharge stroke pressure in the pump chamber for discharging the viscous material therefrom through the discharge means and at the Sametime producing a vacuum area in the viscous material in the path of the reciprocation of the movable element and causing said viscous material in the neighborhood or the recip'rocating path to ilow into said path in readiness fox the next cycle of operation, said pump chamber having a cylinder wall and a cylinder head, a piston positioned within said cylinder Wall, a valve positioned respectively in said cylinder head and in said piston, said piston 'having a side wall contacting the cylinder wall, said piston and cylinder walls surrounding the valve which is positioned in said piston.

9. A pump for pumping viscous materiaii` from a container, said viscous material containing air pockets, said pump comprising a stationary element and a movable element bearing th';` rela-4 tionship to each other of piston and cylinder and defining a pump chamber, means for mounting the stationary element'and the movable element with reference to the container, whereby the movable element projects in said viscous material in the container, means for reciprocating the movable element to alternately provide an intake stroke and a discharge stroke, said movable element Vprojecting from the reciprocating means and having an intake opening at its projected end, said projected end movably plunging upon the intake stroke into the viscous material,

whereby the plunging of the projected end of the movable element into the viscous material works air pockets out of the viscous material and forcibly packs the viscous material substantially free of air pockets into the intake opening of the movable elementto aid in feeding the pump chamber, vsaid pump piston being solid and said pump chamber having intake and discharge valves, and iiexible conduit means for discharging viscous material from the pump chamber to the outside of the container. i

l KENNETH S. CLjiPP. 

